Price is right as Welsh ace returns to scene of triumph

THE last time Phil Price teed up at The Belfry he produced one of the greatest individual performances in the long and dramatic history of the Ryder Cup to defeat the world's No 2 golfer Phil Mickelson.

THE last time Phil Price teed up at The Belfry he produced one of the greatest individual performances in the long and dramatic history of the Ryder Cup to defeat the world's No 2 golfer Phil Mickelson.

His unexpected 3&2 singles victory - Price was five-under-par for the 16 holes played - provided the platform for Paul McGinley to win the trophy for Europe by rolling in a 10-foot putt on the 18th green moments later.

Memories of that glorious Sunday afternoon in September will follow Price as he makes his first return to the Midlands course for the Benson & Hedges International Open this week.

He said, "It was a great day for me, and I seem to still be living it. I'm constantly reminded of it and it's raised my profile no end in the amount of people who now recognise me. "I'm very proud of what I achieved that day after playing poorly for a couple of years, really as a result of the Ryder Cup."

Price was burdened by the Ryder Cup spotlight for an unusually long time because of the postponement of the 2001 match against the Americans following the terrorist atrocities of September 11.

Exhausted by hanging onto the 10th and final qualifying spot in Sam Torrance's European team, the debutant then had to endure another 12 months when his dipping form came under close scrutiny.

To then produce his best golf when it mattered most speaks volumes about his resilience and should give the twice Portuguese Open champion a platform to rediscover his form of 2000 when he broke into the world's top 50.

"I'd like to win - that's a priority for me this season - finish at least top 10 on the European Tour order of merit and get back inside the world's top 50," said Price, who currently languishes nearly 100 places outside that bracket, increasingly the qualification for major championships.

"That's pretty much where I was a couple of years ago. I've been playing poorly for a long time, but that Ryder Cup performance can stand me in good stead for the future.

"I doubt if I'll ever play under any more pressure and,

if I get into contention for a big tournament, I can draw strength from the way I played against Phil."

Recharged having qualified for fewer tournaments than he would have liked this spring, Price played well in patches in Portugal and Tenerife last month but his season really starts today at The Belfry.

"I play five weeks in a row now and they're all great tournaments at venues I particularly like," said the 36-year-old, runner-up to Jose Maria Olazabal in the Benson & Hedges International Open three years ago.

"I saw my coaches last week and things are coming together so I'm optimistic. I've slipped a long way down the world rankings, but the way the system works I can climb back up just as quickly."

Nine other members of last year's Ryder Cup side - all except Sergio Garcia and Jesper Parnevik - are competing for the &#xA3;183,333 first prize too, as are their captain Sam Torrance and the man who twice lifted the trophy on the course, Tony Jacklin.